FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improved watch hand of a watch improving readability of for example a date window or other information displayed on a wristwatch dial when a respective watch hand passes for example the date window or other displayed information on the watch dial.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Wristwatches wearable on a human arm is common. They can also be of a chronometer type enabling a user to keep track of time, for example via a stopwatch function. Other features can be for example a date window arranged on the dial of a watch. The date window or separate windows may also comprise the name of a day together with the date of the day, for example. The date and for example the name of the day may use standard alphanumeric symbols. An alternative known in prior art are special sub-dials and special watch hands pointing at a specific indicator of date, for example a number between 1 and 31 arranged in a circle on the sub-dial. Names of respective days can also be arranged around the periphery of a sub-dial. Other forms of information displayed on a watch dial can for example be an indicator of the moon movement.

The actual time during a day is often displayed in an analogue manner wherein for example an hour hand, a minute hand and a second hand moves around a centered axes moving the respective hands around in a circle. The watch dial may comprise visual marks like batons and/or numbers indicating hour, minutes, and seconds in an edge zone of the dial as known in prior art. The hour hand uses one hour of time when moving between two consecutive hour indicators on the dial while the minute hand moves from a first minute indicator to a consecutive minute indicator in one minute of time. The second hand uses only one second when moving from one indicator to a consecutive indicator off seconds. Since the respective hands moves in a circle the end of a respective hand adjacent to respective time indicators in the edge zone of the dial moves quicker than closer to the centered axis. Therefore, different sizes of dials require a different distance between respective time indicators in the edge zone of the dial. The larger the dial size is the larger the distance is between the time indicators in the edge zone of the dial.

When a respective watch hand moves across a date window surface on a watch dial the respective hand will cover the date window surface. When a date window is located closer to the edge zone of a dial the diameter of the dial influences the speed or time for example an hour hand uses passing the date window. Therefore, the duration wherein an hour hand for example visually hides the date window is dependent on the size of the dial. However, a wristwatch cannot have an arbitrary size since it must fit the dimensions of a human arm, which again can be different between men and women, between children and grown-ups etc. Despite it is common to arrange a date window in an edge zone, limits imposed by other considerations as discussed above limits the size of a wristwatch dial. Common experience is that the time used by an hour hand for example passing a date window can be considerable when the dial is smaller in diameter. It is common that the hour arm is shorter than the minute arm, but both are normally embodied with a significant width compared to a second hand that normally is just embodied as a thinner needle type of hand. Some examples of wrist watches have a shorter hour hand which leaves an uncovered space between the end of the hour hand and the edge zone of a watch dial. Therefore, a date window located in this area of the dial need not be visually hidden by an hour arm passing the date window surface. However, a minute arm will always cover a date window when passing. A problem with a shorter hour arm is that the position of the tip of the hour arm pointing towards respective hour indicators in the edge zone of the dial may make the interpretation of which hour the hour dial is pointing towards inaccurate. Especially in between two consecutive hour marks. However, the other limits of a dial size as discussed above makes the time used by for example an hour hand passing a date window noticeable and can be viewed as being inconvenient by a wearer of a wristwatch.

The respective visual hiding of a date window surface from a second hand passing across the surface of a date window is less problematic since the second hand moves much faster than the hour and minute hand and is usually embodied as a thin needle type of hand even when the dial has a smaller diameter. In prior art there are some examples of using different time display means, for example rotating barrels with printed numbers on an outer surface which can provide an indication of the time of a day instead of moving watch hands.

US 7023762 B2 disclose a date display assembly for a timepiece, wherein the timepiece comprises a casing, an hour wheel that is rotationally engaged with a meshing wheel, and a display window for displaying a date, the date display assembly comprising an outer date ring having a plurality of digits thereon and aligned in the casing such that each of the plurality of digits is appearing in the display window: an inner date ring having a plurality of digits thereon and aligned in the casing such that each of the plurality of digits is appearing in the display window; a date wheel, rotatably engageable with the meshing wheel, for driving the outer date ring in a first direction; and an inner date ring driving wheel, rotatably engageable with the outer date ring, for driving the inner date ring in a direction opposite the first direction.

US 7946757 B2 disclose a base module of a watch comprising a barrel device, a display device, and a power reserve indicator, all the components of the module being placed vertically relative to the flanks of the case, and the adjusting member being arranged visibly and directly accessible on the flank of the case.

JPS 48-19068U disclose a watch (1) comprising an hour hand (4) and a minute hand (5) wherein both hands are made of a transparent resin. US 2023934 A disclose a watch with a luminescent time indicators (5) arranged around a periphery of a watch dial. The minute hand is arranged with a transparent part.

US 20060092768 Al disclose a circular watch comprising watch hands with transparent parts providing a better visibility of time zones indicated around smaller circular parts of the watch dial.

JP 51-142366 A disclose

Therefore, there is a need of an improved watch hand providing at least less coverage of a date window arranged on a watch dial when a watch hand is passing the date window surface regardless of the size of the wristwatch dial.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an alternative to the prior art.

In particular, it may be seen as an object of the present invention to provide a watch hand enabling visual readability of at least one information window arranged on a watch dial when the watch hand passes over the surface of the information window.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus, the above-described object and several other objects are intended to be obtained in a first aspect of the invention by providing a watch hand comprising at least one transparent section.

The invention is particularly, but not exclusively, advantageous for obtaining a watch hand attachable to a drive wheel of a watch comprising a watch dial arranged with at least one date window on a surface of the dial, wherein the watch hand comprises: a first section with a first end arranged pointing towards respective time indicator marks arranged in an edge zone of the watch dial when the watch hand is moved by a drive wheel of a watch the watch hand is connected to, wherein a second end opposite the first end of the first section comprises an indent, a first end of a transparent section made of transparent material is attached to the indent of the first section,

- a second end opposite the first end of the transparent section is attached to an indent arranged in a first end of a second section of the watch hand,

- wherein an adapted hole in the second section is arranged to be connectable to a respective drive wheel of a watch.

Respective aspects of the present invention may each be combined with any of the other aspects. These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described herein.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The watch hour hand according to the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying figures. The attached figures illustrate an example of embodiment of present invention and is not to be construed as being limiting to other possible embodiments falling within the scope of the attached claim set.

Figure 1 disclose an example of prior art watch.

Figure 2 disclose an example of prior art watch.

Figure 3 disclose an example of embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 disclose an example of embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 disclose an example of a watch hand according to the present invention. Figure 6 disclose another example of a watch hand according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

Although the present invention has been described in connection with the specified embodiments, it should not be construed as being in any way limited to the presented examples. The scope of the present invention is set out by the accompanying claim set. In the context of the claims, the terms "comprising" or "comprises" do not exclude other possible elements or steps. Further, the mentioning of references such as "a" or "an" etc. should not be construed as excluding a plurality. The use of reference signs in the claims with respect to elements indicated in the figures shall also not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

Furthermore, individual features mentioned in different claims, may possibly be advantageously combined, and the mentioning of these features in different claims does not exclude that a combination of features is not possible and advantageous.

Figure 1 illustrates a typical wristwatch in prior art. The dial 13 comprises a date window 11 arranged adjacent to the time mark 3 in the edge zone of the dial 13. When for example the hour hand 13 is pointing towards the time mark 3 the time is three o 'clock. However, as indicated in Figure 1, the hour hand is visually hiding the information displayed in the date window 11. When time passes by the hour hand 12 is moving away and after some elapsed time the date window is readable again. The time is dependent on a diameter of the watch dial. Therefore, the distance between for example respective batons indicating minutes (and seconds) will be shorter if the dial diameter is shorter. The hour hand on the other hand will probably have the same width regardless of the dial diameter. Therefore, the time an hour hand for example will visually hide for example a date window may be of an order of several minutes.

Figure 2 illustrates another example of a prior art wristwatch. In this example the hour hand 12 is shorter such that the hour hand never will cover the date window 11. However, the minute hand 15 will cover the date window 11 when passing the date window 11. The length of time a minute hand 15 will visually hide the information in the date window 11 will depend on the size of the dial, but experience is that most people experience this as an inconvenient effect.

Figure 3 illustrates an example of embodiment of the present invention. A wristwatch 10 comprises a date window 11 on a watch dial 13 as illustrated in Figure 1 and 2. In addition an alternative location of a date window 11a is illustrated located above a six-hour mark in an edge zone of the dial 13. In the illustrated example the date window 11a displays a digit indicating a month. Therefore, the combined information of the two date windows 11a, 11 is November 9.

The hour hand 12 is shorter such that the date window 11 will not be covered when the hour hand 12 is passing the date window 11. However, the date window 11a will be covered by the shorter hour arm 12. The date window 11a is in this example embodied with two numbers that are controlled by two separate number wheels inside the watch casing (not illustrated). The consequence of this example is that the date window 11a is a wider window in the reading direction of the content displayed in the date window 11a. This situation is also present if for example the date window 11a is arranged displaying a name of the day having the date 9 as indicated in the date window 11. It is common to use at least three letters of a name of respective days to differentiate correctly between the respective names, i.e., for example Man, Tue, Wed, Thu. Fri, Sat, Sun. Then the width of the date window 11a would be even longer in the reading direction of the information displayed in the date window 11a. There are also examples of date windows displaying both the date number and name of the day in a same date window. Then a length of the date window in the reading direction of the displayed information is even longer.

Figure 3 illustrates an example of a minute hand 15 comprising a section 17 of the minute hand being made of a transparent material, for example glass or plastic etc. Further details of a construction of such a watch hand are illustrated in Figure 5.

The effect of this arrangement that when the minute hand 15 passes the date window 11 the information displayed in the date window 11 is visible through the transparent part 17 arranged on the minute hand 15. When the minute hand 15 passes the other date window 11a, the length of the transparent part 17 of the minute hand 15 can be of a length in the longitudinal direction of the minute hand 15 allowing visibility of the information displayed in the date window 11a when the minute hand 15 passes the respective date windows 11, 11a.

A shorter hour hand 15 is common compared with a length of a minute hand. This difference in length distinguishes visually the respective hands from each other. However, as discussed above, a too short hour hand makes it difficult to precisely read out the hour mark the hour hand is pointing at, especially between two consecutive hour marks arranged in the edge zone of the dial 13.

Figure 4 illustrates another example of embodiment of the present invention. A wristwatch 10a comprises a longer hour arm 12 than the hour arm discussed with reference to Figure 3. In this example of embodiment, the longer hour arm 12 is arranged with a section 17a comprising a transparent material like glass or plastic that allows the information displayed in a date window 11 to be viewed through the transparent section 17a of the longer hour arm 12 when the hour hand passes over the date window 11. The minute arm is also arranged with a transparent section 17 as discussed with reference to Figure 3. Figure 5 Illustrates an example of how a watch arm 19 according to the present invention can made. The illustrated example of a watch arm 19 comprises a first section 19a in an end of the example of watch arm 19 facing towards respective time indicators in an edge zone of a watch dial 13. The first section 19 a is attached to a transparent material section 17 made of for example glass. An indent 18a in a surface of the first sectionl9a is adapted to support the transparent material section 17. The attachment may be done by gluing the respective parts together.

In an opposite end of the first section 19a there is a second section 19b of the hour hand 19. The second section 19b comprises a hole adapted to be attached to central arranged hour wheel 16 of the watch. An end 18b of the second section 19b of the hour hand 19 is configured with an indent 18b that supports the transparent material section 17 the same way the indent 18a is arranged. The respective sections are in line with the longitudinal direction of the watch arm 19.

The different length of the respective sections of the hour hand 19, the first section 19a, the transparent section 17 and the second section 19b can be embodied with different lengths enabling an adaption to respective different watch dial sizes of different watches as well as to different locations of a date window on a watch dial thereby adapting the watch hand 19 hand to different locations of respective date windows on a watch dial.

The example of embodiment of an hour hand 19 discussed above with reference to Figure 5 applies equally to examples of embodiments of a minute hand 15 and an hour hand 12 according to the present invention as disclosed above.

A further aspect of the present invention is that a watch arm may comprise more than one transparent window. For example, providing readability of the date window 11 and the date window 11a that may be arranged in different distances form an edge zone of a watch dial 13. Figure 6 disclose an example of a watch arm 19a comprising a first transparen window 17 as well as a second transparent window 17c. A section 19c of the hour arm 19a connects the two transparent sections 17, 17c to be in line with the longitudinal direction of the watch arm 19a.

A further aspect of the present invention is that a hole in an end of respective watch hands can be adapted to different sizes of respective drive wheels 16 for the hour hand, minute hand and second hand. This feature allows the possibility to retrofit an hour arm and/or a minute arm according to the present invention thereby replacing an hour arm and/or a minute hand that visually hides for example a date window too long as experienced by the owner of the watch.

Therefore, examples of embodiments of the present invention can be used when manufacturing new watches as well as retrofitting new watch arms according to the present invention in existing watches.

Is it also within the scope of the present invention to attach examples of embodiments of the present invention in watches other than wristwatches, for example watches arranged on dashboards of vehicles.

According to an example of embodiment of the present invention a watch hand 19 attachable to a drive wheel of a watch comprising a watch dial 13 arranged with at least one date window 11, 11a, wherein the watch hand comprises: a first section 19a with a first end arranged pointing towards respective time indicator marks arranged in an edge zone of the watch dial 13 when the watch hand 19 is moved by a drive wheel of a watch when attached to the drive wheel, wherein a second end 19b opposite the first end of the first section comprises an indent 18a, a first end of a transparent section 17 made of transparent material is attached to the indent 18a of the first section 19a, a second end opposite the first end of the transparent section 17 is attached to an indent 18b arranged in a first end of a second section 19b of the watch hand 19, wherein an adapted hole in the second section 19b is arranged to be connectable to a respective drive wheel of a watch.

According to the example of embodiment disclosed above, a length of the transparent section 17 is adaptable to a length of a readable direction of at least one date window 11, 11a when the watch hand passes a respective date window when mounted to a respective drive wheel of a watch.

According to the example of embodiment disclosed above, respective lengths of the first section 19a and the second section 19b is adaptable to a specific location of a respective date window 11, 11a on a specific watch dial 13 thereby the transparent section is located above the date window when the watch arm is passing the date window.

According to the example of embodiment disclosed above wherein the watch hand 19 is adapted to serve as a minute hand 15 attachable to a minute drive wheel of a watch.

According to the example of embodiment disclosed above, the watch hand 19 is adapted to serve as an hour hand attachable to an hour wheel of a watch.

According to the example of embodiment disclosed above the transparent section 17 is divided into at least two separate transparent material sections 17, 17c which are connected via at least a third section 19c in between the at least two transparent sections 17, 17c of the watch hand 19.

According to the example of embodiment disclosed above the transparent material section is embodied as a magnifying glass. According to the example of embodiment disclosed above the date window 11, 11a comprises alphanumeric characters.

According to the example of embodiment disclosed above the date window displays a number associated with a date and/or an indicator of a day of a week.

According to the example of embodiment disclosed above a watch hand is adapted to be retrofittable to an existing watch.

Reference numerals:

10 Example of embodiment of the present invention

10a Example of embodiment of the present invention

11 Date window

11a Date window

12 Hour hand

13 Watch dial

14 Second hand

15 Minute hand

16 Centre drive

17 Transparent element

17a Transparent element

17c Transparent element

18a Indent

18b Indent